Yggdrasil – Tree of Life in Norse mythology
In Norse mythology, there is a mighty and evergreen tree that connects the entire cosmos: the world tree Yggdrasil, also known as the Tree of Life. The Vikings' universe was neither flat nor endlessly empty—it was bound together by this one great ash tree, stretching from the depths of the underworld to the top of the sky. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of Yggdrasil, the mysterious beings that live around it, and the tree's role in Ragnarok. Along the way, we will also look at some archaeological finds from Denmark—such as jewelry, runestones, and discoveries from places like Lejre, Jelling, and Ribe—that shed light on the Vikings' relationship with cosmology, mythology, and symbols. Finally, we will conclude with how Yggdrasil still inspires the present day, including in the form of jewelry (where you will find a link to an exciting collection). Let us begin the journey up the trunk of the world tree!
The Meaning of Yggdrasil – The World Tree and the Source of Life
Yggdrasil is the very center of the world in Norse mythology. It is described as a mighty ash tree (or perhaps a yew) with an ever-green crown that reaches all the way up to the sky. All nine worlds in Norse cosmology are connected via Yggdrasil. The tree's three large roots extend into different dimensions of the cosmos: one root leads to the world of the gods, Asgard; another to the world of the giants, Jotunheim; and the third to the realm of the dead, Hel. Under each of these roots lies a spring or well of special significance: beneath the Asgard root is Urd’s well, where the gods gather for things (councils) and where fate is determined; beneath the Jotunheim root is Mimir’s well with the water of wisdom; and beneath the lower root in Hel springs Hvergelmir, from which all the world’s rivers originate.
Yggdrasil is considered sacred – it is nothing less than the source of life and the axis of the universe. Every day the gods ride to Yggdrasil to hold council beneath its branches. The Norns (the fate goddesses Urd, Verdande, and Skuld) reside by Urd’s well and water the tree with the sacred water so that it does not wither. The life-giving dew that drips from Yggdrasil’s foliage falls to the earth and keeps everything green and alive. One could say that the tree symbolizes the cycle of life: it nourishes the world, connects past, present, and future (through the Norns’ weaving of fate), and embodies both life and death in its essence. According to the myth, humanity itself springs from trees – the first humans Ask (ash tree) and Embla (elm) were created from tree trunks by the gods. Odin’s connection to Yggdrasil is also central: the name Yggdrasil means “Ygg’s (Odin’s) horse,” i.e., the gallows. This refers to the famous story that Odin sacrificed himself by hanging for nine days and nights on the world tree to gain wisdom and the magic of the runes. Yggdrasil was thus Odin’s gallows and was poetically called his “horse.” This dramatic myth emphasizes how sacred the tree was to the Vikings – it was the place of the ultimate sacrifice that brought knowledge to the gods and thereby to humanity.
The beings around the Tree of Life
There is teeming life and activity on and around Yggdrasil. At the top of the tree sits a large eagle named Ræsvælg (“Carrion Swallower”). Between the eagle’s eyes dwells a falcon named Vedrfolner, and this little falcon is said to have the highest vantage point in the entire world. When the eagle’s mighty wings beat, the winds arise that sweep across the world. Up and down the trunk scurries the cheeky squirrel Ratatosk, who serves as a messenger – or perhaps more accurately a tattletale – between the top and root of the tree. Ratatosk loves to carry mocking messages between the eagle at the top and another fearsome resident at the base of the tree, namely the dragon Nidhug. Nidhug (Nidhøgg) lies beneath Yggdrasil at the spring Hvergelmir and constantly gnaws at the roots. The dragon’s eternal gnawing symbolizes the destructive forces that threaten the order of life – an image of evil or decay that eats away at the foundation of the world.
But Nidhug is not alone at the root, and the eagle is not alone in the crown. Four deer run around on the branches, biting off the fresh shoots and leaves. Their names are Dain, Dvalin, Dunør, and Durathror. These deer may represent the four winds or perhaps the four seasons – whatever the case, they are part of the tree's ecosystem and contribute to the balance (and consumption of life) that characterizes nature. For every tuft of leaves they eat, new ones grow; life continues in an eternal cycle. At the foot of Yggdrasil, several snakes are also said to lie besides Nidhug, which only emphasizes how diverse (and at times threatening) a life unfolds around the world tree.
The Norns should also be mentioned here: the three fate goddesses Urd, Verdande, and Skuld live at the root in Asgard, where Urd’s well is located. Every day, they draw water from the well and water Yggdrasil’s roots while spinning the threads of fate for gods and humans. Urd (which means “past” or “fate”) gives her name to the well, and she knows all destinies. Her sisters represent “becoming” (Verdande/present) and “debt” (Skuld/future/guilt). Together, they keep the Tree of Life and thus the cosmos in good condition. That the Norns water the tree with the water from the well of fate, which then falls as life-giving morning dew, is a beautiful image of nature’s cycle and the course of fate – everything is connected in the shadow of Yggdrasil.
Detail from the Överhogdal tapestry (Viking Age, found in Sweden) is interpreted as a depiction of the world tree Yggdrasil. The geometric tree figure in the center is flanked by various animals, and at the top is a red rooster – possibly Gullinkambi, the rooster that warns the gods of Ragnarok. The tapestry suggests that even the Vikings sometimes tried to visually represent their cosmos.
Yggdrasil and Ragnarok – the end of the world and rebirth
In the great Ragnarok prophecy, as recounted in the Völuspá, Yggdrasil plays a crucial role. The signs of the world's end include a red rooster (Gullinkambi) crowing loudly from Asgard, awakening the warring parties – another rooster crows in Helheim, and even the world of the giants has its harbinger. When the roosters crow, the earth begins to tremble. It is said that Yggdrasil shakes and groans when Ragnarok arrives, and nowhere is safe. The world tree feels all the pains of the cosmos: Odin consults Mimir's head for final counsel at the root, and the last great battles are fought between gods and giants.
According to some traditions, Yggdrasil will also suffer damage during Ragnarok. The Danish archaeologist Lotte Hedeager points out that in the chaos of battle, the tree may be uprooted and consumed by the flames of fire when the world burns. This scenario – where even the Tree of Life perishes – emphasizes Ragnarok as the ultimate doomsday. But Norse mythology always contains a seed of hope: a new universe sprouts from the old. And here, Yggdrasil once again comes into play as the very lifeline of life.
A beautiful detail in the myth tells that two people survive Ragnarok by hiding in Yggdrasil’s hollow. These two – a woman named Liv (Líf) and a man named Livthraser (Lífþrasir) – find shelter in “Hoddmímis holt”, which is interpreted as another name for Yggdrasil. While fire rages and gods and warriors fall, Liv and Livthraser hide in the tree’s protective embrace, near Mimir’s well. There, they sustain themselves on the morning dew from Yggdrasil’s leaves. When all is over and the smoke lifts, the two emerge again – like the new Adam and Eve – and repopulate the world, which is once again green and peaceful. In this way, the Tree of Life also becomes the salvation of life. Although the myths vary (in some places, as mentioned, it is suggested that the tree perishes in the flames), poetic justice often protects Yggdrasil: It is hard to imagine the cycle of life without the Tree of Life. That Liv and Livthraser are connected to Yggdrasil shows that the tree symbolizes continuity and hope – even in the face of the apocalypse.
An interesting parallel can be drawn: Just as the first humans (Ask and Embla) were created from the substance of the tree, the new humans after Ragnarok come into being with the help of the world tree. The circle is completed – from the tree comes life, and in the tree, life is preserved through the catastrophe. Yggdrasil stands as a symbol of nature's rebirth. The idea of a world tree that survives (or at least ensures survival) despite chaos has something universally encouraging about it. It is the Tree of Life in the truest sense of the word: source of life, protector of life, and restorer of life.
Vikings and the traces of cosmology – finds from Denmark
The Vikings did not leave behind written treaties about their worldview, but their myths and symbols have left traces in archaeology. Denmark contains several finds that give us glimpses of how the Vikings imagined the cosmos and expressed their beliefs through art and objects. Let us look at a couple of examples – from monumental runestones to small jewelry – and connect them to the idea of Yggdrasil and the cycle of life.
Jelling Stone – Christ on the World Tree
One of the most famous monuments from the Viking Age is the Jelling Stones in Jelling, Jutland. The large Jelling Stone, erected around 965 by Harald Bluetooth, marks Denmark's transition to Christianity – but it does so with a fascinating blend of Christian and pagan symbolism. On one side of the stone, there is an image of Christ, but what is unusual is that he is not depicted on a traditional cross. Instead, branches or bands wind around him, as if the figure of Christ is growing out of a tree. In fact, these winding shapes resemble a living tree rather than a crafted cross. Many interpreters have noted that Christ here seems to hang from the branches of Yggdrasil instead of the cross at Golgotha. This may have been entirely intentional on Harald Bluetooth's part: by allowing the new Christian savior to merge with the familiar tree of life motif, the transition to the new faith was made more understandable for the people of that time. After all, Yggdrasil was already a symbol of sacrifice (Odin's hanging) and the maintenance of life; now it also became a symbol of Christ's sacrifice and eternal life.
The inscription on the Jelling Stone proclaims that Harald “made the Danes Christian.” Nevertheless, he chose to depict Christ in a way reminiscent of Odin on Yggdrasil (Odin hung for nine nights on the tree, Christ hung on the cross). The combination is striking: the Tree of Life meets the cross. In Christian tradition, the idea of a tree of life also exists (for example, the tree of paradise or even the cross as “a new tree of life”). The Viking artist who carved the Jelling Stone has united these worlds in the stone image. The Jelling Stone thus stands as concrete evidence that the concept of Yggdrasil and cosmic life was deeply rooted—so deeply that even the new faith had to borrow imagery from it to communicate effectively. Standing before the stone in Jelling today, one can still sense the intertwined bands and branches around Christ. Although the colors have faded with time, the symbolism lives on.
Colorful reconstruction of Harald Bluetooth's Jelling stone. Here, Christ is seen with outstretched arms surrounded byindwined twists – these can be interpreted as branches from a tree (the world tree) instead of a cross.The image source is a modern reproduction from the National Museum, showing how the stone may have beenpainted in its time.
Odin from Lejre – divinity and cosmos in miniature
From the monumental Jelling, we now move to something quite small: a little silver figure found in Gammel Lejre on Zealand. Lejre is known from legendary history as the home of the royal lineage (the Skjoldungs) and has in recent times revealed archaeological treasures that testify to the site as a power and cult center in the Viking Age. In 2009, an amateur archaeologist made a unique find: an 18 mm tall figure cast in silver, depicting a seated person surrounded by animals. The figure shows a person dressed in a long garment and cloak, sitting on a high-backed throne chair. On each armrest sits a bird, and behind the throne are two large animal heads biting the backrest.
The immediate guess – which both the excavator and the museum agreed on – is that the figure represents the god Odin on his high seat. According to myth, Odin sits on the throne Hliðskjálf, from where he can look out over all worlds. The two birds on the armrests fit perfectly with Odin's two ravens, Hugin and Munin, who fly out into the world every day and bring him news. The two animal heads on the back of the throne can symbolize Odin's two wolves, Geri and Freki, who often lie at his feet. All in all, everything suggests that this is Odin himself, in miniature – perhaps a mini-altar object or an amulet that a Viking used in cult or as a status symbol.
The small silver figurine from Lejre (circa 900 AD) – interpreted as the god Odin on his throne Hliðskjálf, flanked by his two ravens Hugin and Munin (on the chair's armrests). The two animal heads behind the backrest are believed to represent Odin's wolves Geri and Freki. The discovery of the figurine in Old Lejre confirms written sources about the site as a center for Odin worship.
That the Odin figurine appeared precisely in Lejre is not surprising, but still fantastic. Lejre is mentioned in sagas as a pagan gathering place, and archaeologists have excavated large royal halls here. The discovery of an Odin figurine suggests that cosmology – personified by gods like Odin – was present in daily life. One can imagine that the Vikings in Lejre knew the myths about Odin’s deeds, including his quest for wisdom on Yggdrasil. When they looked at the small figurine, they may have thought of Odin, who from his throne or from the top of Yggdrasil watched over the Nine Worlds. After all, Odin is central in the cosmos: he is the one who received the runes beneath the tree and who rules Asgard from the high seat. The figurine gives us a direct window into the Vikings’ religious imagination – a world where a small piece of silver could represent the greatest of all, namely the order of the universe.
Jewelry and symbols – from the Viking Age to today
In addition to the large stone monuments and fine cult figures, the Vikings carried cosmology with them in a more everyday form – jewelry and amulets. The most well-known example is undoubtedly Thor's Hammer, Mjölnir, as evidenced by hundreds (in fact, over a thousand) of small pendants shaped like hammers. These hammer amulets have been found all over Denmark, from Ribe in the west to Bornholm in the east, and they signal the wearer's connection to Thor, the protector. But what about Yggdrasil – did the Vikings also wear the symbol of the Tree of Life as jewelry?
The direct motif of a tree is less common in preserved Viking jewelry, which may be because the tree was perhaps more implicitly present in their art. Many Viking Age jewelry and objects are decorated with intertwined animals and vines in so-called interlace styles (e.g., Jelling style, Mammen style, Urnes style). Some scholars believe that certain of these abstract patterns may have represented the world tree itself in stylized form. For example, on the wood carvings in the Norwegian Urnes stave church (12th century), we see a motif with a large entwined animal and a snake – this is interpreted as a Christian image of the battle between good and evil, but also resembles Nidhug gnawing on Yggdrasil. In the Viking Age, meanings blended together: a vine could just as well be a branch of Yggdrasil, and a coiling snake could evoke thoughts of Nidhug or the Midgard Serpent.
From Ribe, we know of many fine beads, amulets, and even Christian crosses that were traded in the town. Ribe was an international trading city where new ideas and symbols met. Perhaps people there had heard of Christianity's own “Tree of Life” (the cross or the tree of paradise) long before the conversion, and compared it to their own Yggdrasil. We can only guess. But a concrete find from the Ribe area emphasizes that the Vikings sought protection in both old and new symbols: For example, on Lolland, a small hammer amulet was found with engraved runes that directly identify it as a “hammer” – a mix of pagan form and written magic. The Vikings were therefore no strangers to wearing their faith around their necks.
The concept of the Tree of Life did not disappear with the Viking Age. In many parts of Denmark, the folk belief in sacred trees continued through the Middle Ages and into more recent times—the so-called “guardian trees” or protector trees by the farms, to which offerings were made to ensure the family's fortune. For example: Even in the 19th century, a huge old tree on a burial mound near Roskilde could be honored as a kind of protector of the local area. Such customs are probably echoes of the deep roots Yggdrasil had planted in the Nordic consciousness: The tree as giver and protector of life.
Yggdrasil's heritage and inspiration in the present day
Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life, stood at the center of the Vikings' universe – and in a way, it still stands at the center of our fascination with Norse mythology. The tree symbolizes the interconnectedness of all things, from gods to humans, animals, and spirits. It reminds us of the cycles of nature, that life emerges, perishes, and is reborn. Through archaeological finds such as the Jelling Stone and the Odin figurine from Lejre, we can see how deeply these ideas were integrated into the society of the time. The Vikings' craftsmen and storytellers have given us images showing that even though times change (from Norse paganism to Christianity, from the Viking Age to the present), the great symbols live on – sometimes hidden in new forms, other times clear and unmistakable.
Today, we are experiencing a renewed interest in Norse mythology and its symbolism. Yggdrasil appears in everything from literature and art to design and jewelry collections. And it's no wonder: the Tree of Life speaks to something universal within us about connection, strength, and hope. Many people like the idea of carrying a small piece of this myth with them in everyday life – as a reminder of roots that run deep and branches that reach toward the sky. If you have been inspired by the story of Yggdrasil and the cycle of life, you can explore our jewelry inspired by the Tree of Life. We have gathered an entire collection of unique jewelry that celebrates the beauty and significance of the world tree. Each design is intended as a small tribute to Yggdrasil's branches and roots, and thus to the eternal cycle of life. Feel free to browse our Tree of Life collection – perhaps you will find your own little piece of the world tree to carry with you.